Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Ngongotaha aiming to keep unbeaten record intact

Rotorua Daily Post
16 Sep, 2016 03:54 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

OUT OF ACTION: Ngongotaha AFC's Josh O'Sullivan is one of the team's key players out of action for final WaiBOP Premiership game of the season. PHOTO/ FILE.
OUT OF ACTION: Ngongotaha AFC's Josh O'Sullivan is one of the team's key players out of action for final WaiBOP Premiership game of the season. PHOTO/ FILE.

OUT OF ACTION: Ngongotaha AFC's Josh O'Sullivan is one of the team's key players out of action for final WaiBOP Premiership game of the season. PHOTO/ FILE.

Football

By Ruth Dacey

Ngongotaha AFC are prepared for a "tough battle" to keep their unbeaten record intact for the season when they face Matamata Swifts.

The Villagers have only dropped two points on their way to being crowned WaiBOP Premiership champions but must play away at a ground they have failed to win at since 2013.

The table toppers go into their last Premiership game of the season tomorrow after a nail-biting 3-2 victory over Otumoetai FC - which saw them surpass the 100-goal milestone in the competition.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

It's an achievement Ngongotaha coach Shane Davis was "over the moon" about.

"Everyone was delighted at the club and I am very proud that we have scored such a huge total," he said.

"I knew at the start of the season we had real quality in the team but I didn't imagine we would be so deadly in front of goal."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

But Davis said they had a difficult challenge against their third-placed opponents who he described as an "away bogey team" for Ngongotaha.

"I don't know what it is about this fixture but for a number of years we just can't seem to get points," he said.

"Matamata lift their performance and intensity and always make it hard for us.

"We really seem to struggle on their pitch and it is always one of the difficult games in the season.

"I expect a bit of a battle but hopefully we can finally get rid of our poor record over there."

Ngongotaha will be without captain David Haua and midfielder Alan Ferguson through injury and striker Josh O'Sullivan is unavailable due to suspension.

"It does make it more of a challenge for us but it just means other players will have to step up to the plate," Davis said.

The Villagers have a 16-point cushion at the top of the Premiership after winning 20 out of their 21 matches and a 3-all draw against Waikato Unicol AFC.

"Every player wants to keep this record going and we are fully capable of it," Davis said.

"There have been some very close games, and the key was keeping going and always having that goal scoring mentality.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"That will be exactly the same against Matamata. I don't want to see anything different to how we usually play."

Ngongotaha have lined up an opportunity to clinch a place in the Northern League next year via a post-season playoff series with the team that finishes second in the Auckland league.

"The key to our success has been taking one game at a time," said Davis.

"So we aren't looking ahead yet. We will face the playoff challenge when it is here.

"We have been focused all year and nothing changes now."

Ngongotaha AFC v Matamata Swifts, Matamata Domain 1, 2.45pm.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Sport

Rotorua Daily Post

Te Puke take hard-fought win, Rotoiti claim Tai Mitchell Shield

09 Jun 11:07 PM
Rotorua Daily Post

'World-class': Tributes flow for All Blacks captain Stu Wilson

09 Jun 12:57 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

'Biggest yet': Aims Games participation soars

08 Jun 09:03 AM

Why Cambridge is the new home of future-focused design

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
Are Ceramides The Missing Link In Your Skincare Routine?
Sponsored Stories

Are Ceramides The Missing Link In Your Skincare Routine?

10 Jun 12:00 PM
10 people dead in Austria school shooting
World

10 people dead in Austria school shooting

10 Jun 09:34 AM
'Out of character': Concern grows for missing US student in NZ
New Zealand

'Out of character': Concern grows for missing US student in NZ

10 Jun 08:45 AM
'Not giving it up': Wagon battle with state housing rages on
New Zealand

'Not giving it up': Wagon battle with state housing rages on

10 Jun 08:29 AM
'Very stressed': Alleged poisoner disputes claims in court
World

'Very stressed': Alleged poisoner disputes claims in court

10 Jun 07:54 AM

Latest from Sport

Te Puke take hard-fought win, Rotoiti claim Tai Mitchell Shield

Te Puke take hard-fought win, Rotoiti claim Tai Mitchell Shield

09 Jun 11:07 PM

Round 10 of the Jordan Cup was won by Te Puke Sports over Greerton at Murray Salt Stadium.

'World-class': Tributes flow for All Blacks captain Stu Wilson

'World-class': Tributes flow for All Blacks captain Stu Wilson

09 Jun 12:57 AM
'Biggest yet': Aims Games participation soars

'Biggest yet': Aims Games participation soars

08 Jun 09:03 AM
'Maybe they could do the same': Chiefs hopeful of Blues favour

'Maybe they could do the same': Chiefs hopeful of Blues favour

08 Jun 06:00 AM
Clean water fuelling Pacific futures
sponsored

Clean water fuelling Pacific futures

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search